A few years ago, I had a bedtime routine with my kids that including telling them a story about a boy named Ernie. His adventures were as far-fetched as I could make them: Ernie and the elf. Ernie and the monster. Ernie inside a pinball machine. As absurd as the tales were, the kids hung on every word.

Stories, no matter how old we get, we are captivated by them. Fantasy stories touch a deep place within us that longs for adventure and heroism. True stories, on the other hand, bind us together in shared experience. They forge community. For the Christ-follower, biography can become a type of theology as God is discovered through the meandering journey of one's life.

The spiritual significance and power of our stories have led our church to develop "Story Groups." These are small groups that work through a 20-week curriculum designed to help people understand the importance of their life stories in their formation toward Christ-likeness. Story groups are discussion-oriented, with assignments ...